It’s May at the Foro Italico and Denis Shapovalov is locked in an epic quarter-final battle with Rafael Nadal, the 10-time champion at the ATP Masters 1000 clay-court event in Rome. After being handed a breadstick in the opening set, the Canadian keeps faith in his fearless brand of tennis to take the second 7-5.

The 23-year-old had held two match points against Nadal at the same venue one year prior and had pushed the Spaniard to five sets at January’s Australian Open. He had also famously beaten him as an 18-year-old on home soil in Canada in 2017.

Although Nadal was increasingly impeded by a foot injury in the third, there was no diminishing the worthiness of Shapovalov’s 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory. He produced breathtaking tennis and was a deserved winner.

Rising to No. 15 in the Pepperstone Rankings after his semi-final run, Shapovalov was full of confidence and looking at good times ahead. Earlier in the year he had made a remarkable recovery from Covid-19 to steer Canada to victory in the ATP Cup alongside close friend Felix Auger-Aliassime, before his deep run at the Australian Open, where he dismissed World No. 3 Alexander Zverev in straight sets in the fourth round.

But tennis can be a fickle sport.

After victory over Nadal in Rome, the former World No. 10 embarked on a six-match losing streak, the longest of his career. He enters this week’s Citi Open having dropped seven of his past eight matches, a five-set win over Arthur Rinderknech in the Wimbledon first round his only recent success.

Leading into the ATP 500 in Washington, D.C., the 2021 Wimbledon semi-finalist spent a two-week training block with his team in the Bahamas. Forehands and backhands were only part of the focus. Navigating the down times mentally can be even more important.

“That’s what tennis is. It’s a lot of ups and downs,” Shapovalov told ATPTour.com. “There are very few players who can be super consistent; that’s just the nature of the game. You just have to be patient with it, get used to it, stay positive, keep working and keep believing in yourself.”

The swashbuckling left-hander, who describes his game style as ‘super aggressive’, prefers to double down on Plan A rather than switch to Plan B when things aren’t going his way. It’s a high-risk/high-reward strategy that pays healthy dividends in good times.

Team Canada celebrates winning the 2022 ATP Cup

But Shapovalov now finds himself trying to rebound from a bear market. He says that he has the stomach to weather choppy waters and that the way back can be found in focussing on the long game rather than the ‘noise’ of day-to-day results. “You want the wins to come, but if they don’t you just need to believe that the work will pay off,” he said. “Having a good team around you keeps you looking at the big picture and keeps you motivated to keep working.

“Often people will panic when a couple of things don’t go their way,” he said. “You try to think about the future and not dwell on the past. You want to think how you’re going to play the game moving forward, what we need to clean up and keep working on the plan we have.”

Shapovalov is aware that fortunes can change fast. Two weeks ago at the ATP 500 in Hamburg, Lorenzo Musetti came into the event on his own six-match losing streak, without his racquets that were in his lost luggage and expecting to play qualifying. He ended the week by taking out Top-5 star Carlos Alcaraz to win his first ATP Tour title.

“It’s great to see him doing well. Obviously a great talent,” Shapovalov said. “To see him come out of a difficult period to win a big title isn’t a big surprise. It’s a totally normal part of the game and I knew that he would eventually pull through. It doesn’t change anything for me.”

As he looks to recapture form, Shapovalov said that he would continue to play doubles, having already partnered Rohan Bopanna in seven events this year. (In Washington Shapovalov is teaming with Denis Kudla.)

“I definitely think it helps with my game so I’ll continue to play. I see myself as a super-aggressive tennis player who wants to get to the net a lot, so doubles helps to work on the serve and volley and the returning coming in. It’s also super fun.

“It’s been a great partnership with Rohan. First and foremost he’s been a mentor to me who has helped me quite a lot on the court. We’re also really good friends, so that’s why it works. For him it’s great to have a young guy who is really powerful who can create a lot, and he does his ‘doubles thing’. It just works.”

Sixth-seeded Shapovalov, who took out now-World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in the first round of the Citi Open in his last appearance in the U.S. capital in 2018, faces American World No. 99 wild card J.J. Wolf in his opening match.

Despite being the top seed at the Citi Open, Andrey Rublev was not expecting a long stay in Washington, D.C., once he learned that #NextGenATP star Jack Draper was his opening opponent.

But with a nothing-to-lose mindset, Rublev dominated the Briton on Tuesday in a 6-4, 6-2 victory that enabled him to conserve energy during a hot week in the United States.

“To be honest, I was thinking today… for sure it was a tough match, but I was thinking most likely I would lose the match,” he revealed after the win. “I had that feeling because in Madrid he almost beat me. Today I was just going on court to do my best and I said since the beginning that maybe, most likely, I’m going to lose the match.”

Draper left a lasting impression in their first ATP Head2Head meeting at the Mutua Madrid Open in May, when Rublev edged through 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. But there would be no late drama in the D.C. sun, as Rublev controlled the second-round matchup throughout.

“In the end I’m happy that I was able to win in straight sets,” he said.

The top seed converted on his seventh break point of the opening set and then secured an early break in the second. Draper earned his only two break points of the match as he fought for an immediate reply, but Rublev cleaned up the errors that led to the opening as he crucially held for 3-1. He lost just three points on first serve in the one-hour, 23-minute contest, posting an 89 per cent (24/27) win rate.

Rublev’s respect for his opponent was clear as he remained on high alert down the stretch, showing frustration as he was unable to extend his lead. He would ultimately secure a second break to take the sting out of the contest before cooly serving out the match.

Asked if his low expectations were the key to victory, Rublev was not so sure. “I don’t know, because sometimes when I think this way, I also lose matches,” he said. “It’s better to not ask me. My mind is out of order,” he joked.

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The victory improves Rublev to 33-11 on season and 19-4 on hard courts. He is seeking his fourth title of the season (Marseille, Dubai, Belgrade), a mark which would draw him level with Spaniards Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz for joint-most on the year.

He will next face the winner of the all-American matchup between 13th seed Maxime Cressy and Jack Sock. Sock battled back from two breaks down in the opening set to defeat David Goffin 7-6(4), 6-4 on Tuesday.

Sebastian Korda earned a bounceback victory on Tuesday to reach the second round of the Citi Open.

The American snapped a three-match losing streak with a 6-4, 7-6(5) win against Ilya Ivashka, who reached the semi-finals last week in Atlanta. Korda will next play 12th seed Sebastian Baez of Argentina, whom he defeated in last year’s Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals.

“He’s an unbelievable player when it’s in his strike zone,” Korda said of Baez. “Just kind of [have to] mix it up and hope for the best.”

There was little to differentiate the two players on Stadium Court, but Ivashka made two consecutive unforced backhand errors from 5/5 in the second-set tie-break to relinquish his chance to force a decider. Korda triumphed after one hour and 40 minutes.

Two other Americans were unable to advance. Japanese lefty Yoshihito Nishioka eliminated last week’s Atlanta finalist, Jenson Brooksby, 6-4, 6-3, and Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori rallied past Mackenzie McDonald 1-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Briton Kyle Edmund earned his first ATP Tour win in 29 months on Monday, but was unable to replicate the feat Tuesday. Countryman Daniel Evans ousted Edmund 6-1, 6-2.

The 16th seed won 61 per cent of his return points and broke his opponent’s serve six times from eight opportunities to move on after 63 minutes.

“My focus was very good. I had a bit of a blip at the end, but I thought I didn’t do much wrong. He hit I think three winners,” Evans said in his on-court interview. “Just really happy to be going still. It’s always nice to start a new swing off with a win and it’s nice to be through to the third round.”

Andy Murray is determined to find a solution to his ongoing cramping issues after he struggled physically during his first-round defeat against Mikael Ymer on Monday at the Citi Open in Washington.

The former World No. 1, who also suffered cramping in Newport last month, battled against the Swede in the American heat for two hours and 50 minutes and looked physically drained in the deciding set.

“I [have] struggled a little bit with [cramping] the past two tournaments. I need to have a little look at that with my team and maybe see why that is, make a few changes,” Murray said during his post-match press conference.

“In terms of the training off the court and on the practice court, I’ll have to look at that as well and see if there’s more that I could be doing, maybe different ways of practising to help with that. Scheduling training more in the heat of the day at 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. rather than 10 a.m. when it’s not quite as humid, not quite as warm, not quite as helpful. There are a few things I can look at.”

After losing the first set, Murray responded by taking his chances in the second set to level the match at the ATP 500 event. However, the Scot, who admitted he normally enjoys the humid conditions, was unable to match Ymer’s intensity in the third set.

“It was disappointing. I thought there was some good tennis in the first set. After that both of us were struggling a bit physically,” Murray added. “The level of the tennis was not great. I had chances in the first set to close that out. I had set point at 6-5, then three in the tie-break and didn’t get it. [It was] frustrating.”

Murray is now 22-13 on the season across all levels, having reached finals in Sydney and Stuttgart earlier this year. The 35-year-old will look to regain his best form when he takes to court in Montreal next week at an ATP Masters 1000 event he has won twice, including in his previous appearance in 2015.

“The only positive is now that I get more time to prepare for the tournament in Canada. I guess if I can address sort of the physical issue I’ve had the last couple of tournaments, then that would be a positive thing. I obviously need to address that now.”

Nick Kyrgios may have changed his partner, but he tasted the same success to extend his winning run on Monday at the Citi Open.

The Australian captured his second tour-level doubles title of the season with countryman Thanasi Kokkinakis in Atlanta at the weekend, but showed little sign of tiredness in his opening match in Washington, teaming with American Jack Sock to reach the second round.

The unseeded tandem fired nine aces and broke three times to upset third seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer 6-4, 6-4 in 68 minutes.

Kyrgios and Sock, who are joining forces for the second time this season, are aiming to clinch their second tour-level title as a team at the ATP 500 event, having won the crown in Lyon in 2018. They will next play Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin or Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares.

Mackenzie McDonald and Botic van de Zandschulp also advanced on the opening day in Washington, edging Ilya Ivashka and Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-7, 10-8. The American-Dutch tandem will next play top seeds Rajeev Ram and Horacio Zeballos or Alex de Minaur and Frances Tiafoe.

Blumberg/Kecmanovic March On In Los Cabos
William Blumberg and Miomir Kecmanovic earned a debut win as a team on Monday at the Abierto de Tenis Mifel in Los Cabos, defeating Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow 3-6, 6-3, 10-8.

The American-Serbian duo rallied from 4/6 in the Match Tie-break to book their spot in the second round after 72 minutes. Blumberg is aiming to lift his second tour-level trophy of the year this week, after triumphing with Steve Johnson in Newport last month.

Treat Huey and Johnson overcame Facundo Bagnis and Alex Hernandez 7-6(10), 6-4 in the other match in Mexico. Huey and Johnson saved two set points in the first set before they found the decisive break in the 10th game of the second set to advance.

#NextGenATP star Chun-hsin Tseng earned his third tour-level win of the season Monday, moving past American qualifier Nick Chappell 6-4, 6-4 to reach the second round at the Abierto de Tenis Mifel in Los Cabos.

The 20-year-old produced a strong serving performance as he quickly found his range on debut at the ATP 250 event. Tseng of Chinese Taipei won 84 per cent (27/32) of points behind his first delivery, while he did not face a break point to advance after one hour and 31 minutes.

Tseng, who is up to No. 81 in the Pepperstone ATP Live Rankings, will next play third seed Cameron Norrie. The Briton captured the title in Mexico last season.

Earlier this season, Tseng lifted ATP Challenger Tour trophies in Bangalore and Murcia, before he made his debut at Roland Garros after coming through qualifying. The 20-year-old is currently eighth in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Milan as he aims to qualify for the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals for the first time.

In other action, Australian qualifier Max Purcell clinched his first tour-level hard-court win of the year, downing Swiss Henri Laaksonen 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in two hours and four minutes.

Purcell, who advanced to the second round on grass in Newport last month, will play #NextGenATP American Brandon Nakashima or qualifier Kaichi Uchida in the second round.

Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis gained revenge against Quentin Halys, advancing 7-6(1), 7-5 in one hour and 52 minutes. Berankis, who lost to Halys in Pune in January in their only previous ATP Head2Head meeting, will next take on Facundo Bagnis or Ernesto Escobedo.

Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata set a second-round meeting against World No. 1 Daniil Medvedev after Mexican wild card Rodrigo Pacheco Mendez was forced to retire. The 21-year-old Hijikata was leading 6-3, 4-0 when the match was stopped.

#NextGenATP Briton Jack Draper has earned another shot at Top 10 star Andrey Rublev.

Three months ago, Rublev defeated Draper in a thrilling three-setter at the Mutua Madrid Open. They will meet again at the Citi Open after Draper eliminated American wild card Stefan Kozlov 7-5, 6-2 on Monday in Washington.

“I think Stefan plays a very awkward game. He’s one of the guys who really disrupts your rhythm. The first four games of the match, I found it really hard to hit the court, actually. The conditions here, it’s quite lively and you have to play with a bit more control,” Draper said in his on-court interview. “I think I adjusted pretty well and in the end it became more of a physical battle out here in these conditions.”

Draper lost the first three games of the match and almost went down a quick double break, but rallied past the home favourite in one hour and 53 minutes. The 20-year-old saved four of the five break points he faced and hit 10 aces in his victory.

The lefty is fifth in the Pepperstone ATP Race To Milan and trying to qualify for the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals for the first time. Entering the season, he had won two tour-level matches. The Briton has claimed eight this year alone.

It would have been nine had he found a way past Rublev in Madrid, where the favourite triumphed 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. Now the #NextGenATP shot will have another go.

For Draper, this is all part of his process. He began the year No. 265 in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings and is at a career-high World No. 81.

“For me, I know I’ve got the tennis,” Draper said. “It’s just about developing my physicality and being able to mentally cope with these guys as well. I think I’ve got a lot to improve still.”

There are roller-coaster matches, and then there is the clash between Mikael Ymer and Andy Murray on Monday.

After plenty of twists and turns, the Swede ultimately upset the former World No. 1 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-1 to reach the second round of the Citi Open. It was Ymer’s first match on a hard court since February.

“I’m excited,” Ymer said in his on-court interview. “It was the first day [of the U.S. swing], so obviously a lot left to do, but it’s a very good start of the American swing.”

Both men showed physical issues at different points, but the Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals alumnus surged through the third set to triumph after two hours and 50 minutes.

After saving four set points in the opener and taking a 3-1 lead in the second, Ymer was in full control. Murray was left stretching his legs on several occasions and rueing missed opportunities. On each of his four set points in the first set — one at 6-5 and three more in the tie-break — he was in a winnable position in the point, but was unable to convert.

Suddenly in the middle of the second set, Ymer began misfiring and showed signs of his own physical discomfort, which gave Murray a burst of energy. The Scot won five of the final six games of the second set to capture the momentum.

After the set break, however, the 46-time tour-level titlist made a unforced forehand error to relinquish a break and was never able to dig back into the match. Ymer looked totally refreshed and despite a hiccup when serving up 4-0, he closed out his victory to set a clash against 15th seed Aslan Karatsev.

While Murray was unable to advance, Briton Kyle Edmund did. The 27-year-old earned his first ATP Tour win in 29 months when he defeated Japanese qualifier Yosuke Watanuki 6-4, 7-6(8).

Three left knee surgeries had kept Edmund out for 21 months. Now he will play countryman Daniel Evans for a place in the third round in Washington.

“It’s very rewarding. During the long periods where I was out – not picking up a racquet for five months – it was these events that I pictured myself being out here,” Edmund said. “It’s something that you miss, feeling the buzz, hearing the crowd, playing under pressure.

“I didn’t find it easy today. He’s a very tricky player and very energetic, but I kept telling myself I’d worked too hard to not [give my all]. I hung in there and I got my reward in the end.”

American Denis Kudla, who grew up training in nearby College Park, Maryland, rallied past countryman Michael Mmoh, a qualifier, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. J.J. Wolf was another American who moved on, a 6-2, 6-3 winner against Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel.